


turn around

by retts



Series: the greatest show [1]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, r paints enj
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 13:13:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13764912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retts/pseuds/retts
Summary: enjolras is learning that there are so many things to unlearn about grantaire.





	turn around

**Author's Note:**

> hello les mis fandom, i’ve missed exr so much! im just finding my footing again so please be gentle :) 
> 
> and here i just recently said i would never try enj’s pov because he’s so difficult to write lol
> 
> part of the 100 situations challenge

(self conscious)

  
there is naked want in grantaire’s eyes, infinite in combination but ever-present. this particular want is new: the want of an artist painting something beautiful. it’s new because it’s the first time grantaire explicitly asked to draw enjolras within the confines of their budding relationship, with enjolras aware that there’s more than professional interest in grantaire’s eyes, and enjolras having said yes.

he lets grantaire arrange him into an artful pose, and the titanic joke niggles in the back of his head until grantaire says it for him. ‘should i draw you like one of my french boys?’

‘i hope i’m the only french boy you have,’ says enjolras with an arch look.

grantaire presses a kiss to his forehead as he steps back and examines him. ‘perfect,’ he sighs.

enjolras is fully clothed, hair dishevelled the way it normally is by the end of the day, and is seated on the bench under the window like he does when he reads on slow sunday mornings. he even has a book on his lap, a collection of essays and speeches by the greatest political minds in history.

‘are you sure this is what you want?’ asks enjolras sceptically. ‘you don’t want me to take off my shirt or pop the button of my jeans open?’

‘lovely as that would be, this is exactly what i want. stay still as much as you can, please, but don’t be uncomfortable, either.’

‘may i read?’

grantaire smiles. ‘so polite, and yes.’

‘if i do, i might get angry at some point.’

the smile widens, captures grantaire’s eyes and the light reflected in them as he stands in front of his easel and picks up his pencil. ‘that’s what i’m hoping for, apollo.’

enjolras bites on the _why_ on the tip of his tongue. he knows why, of course. has been aware of it long before grantaire anxiously asked him out and enjolras accepted out of curiosity and faint interest because for once grantaire was earnest (and sober) about it. understands it, finally, because enjolras feels the same way.

it’s embarrassing, really. no, enjolras thinks, that’s not it at all. it seems like embarrassment, but it’s actually a close cousin. he feels prickly with awareness at such constant, unwavering, oftentimes intense attention. he is no stranger to attention, has lived with it his entire life, first for his looks and then his activism. he’s used to personal and impersonal focus on him but he’s on unsteady footing when the attention becomes intimate. it’s good, of course, even if it leaves him feeling a little out his depth at times. enjolras’ most important friendships are on the intense side, but there are certain parts of him that even combeferre and courfeyrac and feuilly don’t know about and grantaire is slowly discovering. at some point, grantaire must come across something that’ll dim the want in his eyes.

it’s frightening to consider grantaire might just want _all_ of him, and equally horrible to think enjolras might be the one to find grantaire lacking. he knows grantaire already thinks that, expects that from him.

unnerved, enjolras banishes the thoughts away. now is not the time to worry and obsess over what might not even happen because so far, enjolras has realised that grantaire is quite a terrific person. they could have been better friends years ago if grantaire’s habit of provoking the wrong attention from enjolras (and enjolras’ own prejudice, he can admit) hadn’t got in the way, even if that is a rather simplified way of looking at their old relationship. 

later, enjolras tells himself firmly. the sun is out, he’s comfortable and safe, and grantaire is looking at him like enjolras commands all of the good things in the world with just a snap of his fingers. it’s a heady feeling, surprisingly similar to the exhilaration of affecting real change with les amis. 

that’s important. he should remember that, too.

a quiet hour passes this way: grantaire sketching enjolras and enjolras basking in the attention, not even minding when grantaire randomly compliments him on the strangest things (‘the angle of your elbow would make mathematicians weep’). it’s done teasingly, not the mockery enjolras used to take it for.

enjolras is learning that there are so many things to unlearn about grantaire.

‘this is one of my favourite things,’ murmurs grantaire, just loud enough to be heard over the scratch of his pencil.

enjolras looks up at him. ‘what is?’

‘staring at you for hours on end. i could do it forever.’ the _i will do it forever if you let me_ goes unspoken quite loudly.

enjolras watches him back, lets his own want appear on his face, curving the corners of his mouth, dimple out, and eyes narrowing at the corners.

grantaire blinks and takes his phone out from his pocket with his other hand. ‘okay, that deserves to be photographed and blown up into inspirational posters and hung in dreary offices.’ the phone gives a click as grantaire snaps picture after picture, and enjolras rolls his eyes and puts his book on the windowsill.

‘are you done for now?’ he asks.

‘i guess we can have a break.’

‘come here,’ says enjolras imperiously.

grantaire puts down his pencil and walks around his easel.

‘your arrogance should not be hot,’ he tells enjolras approvingly. grantaire makes an even more approving sound when enjolras tugs him down to sit on his lap, and enjolras kisses him, all lips, just enough that grantaire’s guard drops and he can snatch grantaire’s phone away.

‘hey, what - ’

enjolras angles the phone above them. ‘it’s even better,’ he says fondly, lips pressed to grantaire’s cheek, ‘if we’re both in the inspirational posters.’

**Author's Note:**

> feedback is love <3


End file.
